Gyroscope control device for bombs



Aug. 29, 1950 B. E. WARREN i GYROSCOPE CONTROL DEVICE FOR OMBS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. '7, 1946 Aug. 29,1950

B. E. WARREN GYROSCOPE CONTROL DEVICE FOR BOMBS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1946 Patented Aug. 29, 1950 GYROSCOPE CONTROL DEVICE FOR BOMBS Bertram E. Warren, Arlington, Mass., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of War Application January 7, 1946, Serial No. 639,686

6 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes Without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to high angle bombs and particularly to such bombs of the variety which are remotely controlled during the ight to change the downward course thereof either for the purpose of correcting errors and insuring the striking of a selected target or to permit release of the bomb from any part of an area greater than that within which release is normally possible if the bomb is to strike the target. Such bombs may be guided by setting the control surfaces such as the elevators and rudders, prior to release of the bomb, rather than by a remote control radio mechanism or the like during the downward iiight of the bomb. In either event, however, in order to insure a controlled ight in accordance with the setting of the control surfaces, it is essential that there be no rotation of the bomb about its longitudinal axis. Various factors which tend to produce such rotation and to interfere with the accuracy of this type of bomb, are

the asymmetry of the bomb, dfliculty in releasing the bomb without imparting some rotative force thereto, and wind effects on the bomb.

An object of my present invention, therefore, is to provide mechanism for imparting an automatic, positive, corrective and restorative force to such bombs during the iiight thereof Whenever rotative deviation in either direction from the normal intended attitude of flight takes place.

Another important object of the invention is to provide means of the indicated character employing adjustable ailerons incorporated in the tail surface of the bomb, together with automatic control means whereby such ailerons are moved 1 in response to rotative deflection of the bombs,

movement of the ailerons being in a direction to cause corrective rotation of the bomb in the opposite direction to a predetermined reference position.

,-.A further object is to provide control means such that if the rate of recovery of the bomb from an angular attitude representing a deviation from the normal or predetermined attitude affords a predetermined value, the ailerons will return to normal while the bomb continues to rotate toward the normal attitude. Y

A still further object relates to that last stated object and the provision of a main gyroscope device having a rotor with its rotative axis horizontal and perpendicular to the path of the bomb and arranged to effect corrective movement of the ailerons, while a smaller rate gyroscope is similarly mounted to limit the rate of recovery of the bomb.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts in the several gures.

Fig. l is a perspective view of a dirigible bomb provided with flight corrective means constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic wiring diagram of the principal electric control circuits and the flight rotative control surfaces, gyroscopes and servomotor means being illustrated diagrammatically;

Fig. 3 is a side view in perspective of my double gyroscope-assembly utilized in stabilizing the bomb about its longitudinal rotative axis; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view illustrating the rate gyroscope pick off control contact members.

Referring to the drawings it will be observed that .the bomb body I as shown in Fig. 1 is provided with a night control surface 2 having movable elevators 3 and 4 hinged near the trailing edge thereof. If lateral or azimuth steering control is desired, it will be understood that the flight surface 42 must move in a vertical plane. Control of rolling tendencies of the bomb to insure maintenance of the indicated -plane of movement of the bomb without rotative departure is effected by adjustable ight controlsurfaces or ailer ons 6 and 'l hinged in the transverse control surface 5. The ailerons 6 and 1 are movable in opposite directions in response to the operation of a gyroscope control system and servomotor means hereinafter to be described. Remote directional control of the bomb may be effected by operation of the elevators 3 and 4 in any conventional manner. The mechanism for accomplishing this control forms no part of the present invention and accordingly will not be described, since it may take any of theplurality of forms as will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

VThe mounting Vand releasing means for the bombs, not shown, requires that the control surface 2 be supported in a horizontal position in the bomb bay of the aircraft carrying the bomb. It is, therefore, necessary to release the bomb with the control surface 2 in horizontal position and the control system is required to turn the surface 2 to a vertical or substantially vertical position as the nose of the bomb falls from its forwardly directed horizontal position in the iiight path of the aircraft to a more steeply inclined angle of glide or fall.

Referring to Fig. 3, the double gyroscope assembly is illustrated as removed from the bomb with the spin axes of the gyroscopes in their relative position during the glide or fall of the bomb. This assembly includes an upper or directional gyroscope and the lower or rate Vgyrc'isoope 'with their spin axes mounted for rotation in the same plane. Each of the gyroscope rotors is rotated constantly While the bomb is in free night by a small eiectric motor 33 mounted on -th`e :inner gimbal of each. When theiassembly is VAnriounted in a bomb a vertical line diametricallyyprojected from both rotor Wheels centers in the plane of the wheels and lies on the longitudinal axis of the bomb. Prior to launching, `th`e directional gyroscope Wheel 2i rotates about a horizontall'ateral axis across the ilightpath of the bomb, the inlvnerqgirnbal member-.'22 being rotatablefabout-a rlatteralfaxis, and the outer-gimbal -fmember 23 being rotatable about the longitudinal axis ofthe-bomb. The flipper pivot shaft :2d for -the outer .gimbal 42 is provided, the piston being connected to an arm projecting from the gimbal 32 constitutes a dash-pot tending to dampen the oscillation of the rate gyroscope and reduce hunting.

As diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2, left and right solenods L and R are provided to actuate `the-.ailerons 6 and l'i -.oppositely.in one direction o'r-the opposite Criirection tofcause Vapplication of right or left rotative torque to the bomb 'about its longitudinal axis. A battery 4i, illustrated in the right-hand portion of the Fig. 2, lis adapted to be connected to the solenoids L 'andR lthrough the directional gyroscope contacts or?! Wheneverthe bomb commences to rotate inione direction ortho other about its longitudinal flight axis, the correct solenoid being energized to'correct'the rotation to normal; that is, to move the ailerons and l in such directions to apply a corrective torque in the direction opposite to the direction ,of-rotation-of the bomb. .For-.ex- -amplejit Willl-be. noted "from the circuit connections' as'illustrated'that rotation oi the directional gyro'scope radial switch arm '225 tothe right as member Evt-'extends through 'thetopof the-frame f memberV 3 in suitable bushings, and hastaradial contactiar-m 25 .securedtheretofadapted to 4selectively make electrical contact with either'of a pair of :spaced semi-circular insulated contact y'segments 'or plates 23 'and 21 lforming 2a split contact "ring with :the ends separated `and in- Whenrthe upper fgyro- `sul'ated'from each other.

scope vrotorj2i is inthe plane :of the `supporting frame 3i?, as ashown -in Fig. 3, fthe-:switch arm 4g 2'5 rests on the insulated ,portion rintermediate-the eenrls'of the contact plates, A:but-rotation of 'the foiiteriginiba'l' :to theleft or'rightrrom this ,pre-

'determined reference position will -cause vthe gisvvitchga'rm :25 toI .contact 'the-aoorresponding elec- -trical contact segments E2 6 or -2 l. iI-t ,WillIbef-.understoodV that after launching, the bomb turns -subfstantia-llyrllmand continues ,to travel with-both innergimbal faxesacross the rnigh-t -path Vof 'the bom-b. Y

vThe smaller, or rate -gyroscopads 'mounted-'in' --the lower port-lon Aof theframe 230 Y.by rmeansof ,thef'single rate fgimbalfmember 32, trunnioned in theji frame with v"loothvof its iend ,-journal shafts .gfextendingfthrough the Vsides "of-the -frame. YThe fright-hand truien-ion, oripivot .membenas viewed infFigs. Sand-4 hasta oontactorswitch arm'35 secured thereto, adapted -to make electrical contaYctir/itha contact-segmentt,-vor1a contact seg- .ment jof-afsplit .contact Yrir1 g,the ,ends-of .the

`segments being spaced-and insulated from each I.

. othensimilarto the contact ring associated with the directional gyroscope previously described, .but the spacing betweenthe ends of `the .Contact seg- Mrnentsr and 'Slis greater thanfthe end `spacing o fsthe segmentsZB-l v*This vviderispac'ingper- Virnitsra limited angular movement f the, switch ZarmV -withoutclosing either of the electrical circuits through ythe Asegments "36 3l ofthe split contact ring. he'left-handtr-.drinion '38 of VAthe .rate ,girnbal carries a spring`tensio'edf`trque 'arm "Se secured theretofto provide a"re`st`oring 'torque .tending lto constantly vcenter the A 'gyros'cope and vc'ietermine the'relative degreeprecession of the ratefgyroscop'e Withresfpect toth'e' rotative departure of 'the' rate ginibal '32"i'rci'dentto"rotation of lthe support-Sil vby the Zbomb and preventA closure of. either of the contacts' or"31, except'whe'n th'erate 'procession due to rotationo'f the' 'bomb `el' ee'ds a predetermined'degree.

' Aaaah-pot eompnsingaeynndr' 'nana piston I' viewed in Fig. 2 .incident .to `a 'left-handroll of .theebomh will contact -the .contact plate .2?, clos- "ing thecircuit .to .relay B, closing solenoid con- .tact .arm i5, ,energizing 'the Work .solenoid L .of .f.the..servornotor device, "While movement of 'the "sxvtchQarn/i ES'tothelet, incident to a Aright roll, would contact the segment .26, energizing lthe relay.A, and through .contact H, closed bythe 'relay A', energize Work solenoid R, setting the flight .control surfacesf, and Tito o ppose'theroll. Boll i'n either .direcztii'avn, t'h'erefore, causes closure of 'oneo' jthe contactsfZ'i-or vfith armf'l and therefore results in correctiveinovement of the reverse 'torquetc 'reverse "the roll of the bomb.

. v VEhe'electricalcrmxiectionsfto .therate of ,turn ,'g'yroscope -as Lillustrated are such asV to 'close the 4.circuitto 'lthelet orfrigh'tlslenoid'L or R, ac- 'tu'ating-1the.contro-l'surfaces and?? .to Yoppose the bomb Y.rotation from neutral 'position -which 'precessedtherategyroscope, orto; return the aileron `fliglit' Acontrol surfaces "E yand I? to their neutral 'position'whentherate orrejturn of the -bomb toward `its "neutral position 'exceeds a .predeter- `niined rate.f*`hus, during return ofthe vbomb tov/'arid its ,neutral position, if Y the correcting ,torque 'produced by .the @ailerons Lresults in Yan 'predeterminedirate :such 'as tthat .set 'forth of Y Y "degrees vper "second the rate giribal-arm @E will contact Vsegment ,31, thus *energizing "the -Woriz fslenoid'R whilefthe v'vork" solenoid Lis ener gized by the direction "gyroscope'contact arm gaand control;surfaceslwillibe j moved to neutral.

' fV the rotational rate jof the VWbomb AAfrom its tial `Vpositiontothe riglit"or' the-left "is ata rate in excess of 5 degrees per second, solenoid L or R will be energized through the corresponding "relays B, B'for A, A connected in parallel but during return to neutral aiter a roll, if the return -rates exceed 5 degrees, then B and A or B' and A contact will be closed and the work solenoids R and L will both be energized, and the control :surfaces 6 and 'l will be moved to neutral.

It will be apparent that the roll control system described is not limited to a bomb having control surfaces of the shape and proportion shown in Fig. 1. Various arrangements might be used,

"such as one including a movable rudder in addi- `tion to the elevator.

built and Operated with gyroscope wheels whichn 'I'he gyroscope unit has been are driven either by electric motors, or by an air jet; The principal feature of the invention is the use of a directional gyroscope and a rate gyroscope in combination to produce a device which can hold an orientation of a flight body about its iiight axis without performing excessive hunting. A secondary feature of interest, primarily in high angle bombing, is the positioning of both gyroscopes, so that their axes of rotation are perpendicular to the plane of bomb trajectory.

Iclairn:

1. A gyroscope flight attitude control apparatus for a dirigible bomb having an adjustable flight control surface for counteracting the rate and direction of rotation of the bomb about its longitudinal axis from a predetermined flight attitude position and reversible servomotor means for actuating said flight control surface, during the descent of a bomb; said flight attitude control apparatus comprising a gyroscope support f `mounted on the bomb having a longitudinal axis disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bomb, inner and outer gimbal members carried by said support with their tilting axes disposed perpendicular to each other, with the outer gimbal axis disposed parallel to the longitudinal axes of the support and bomb, electrical pick off control means between the support and the outer 'gimbal comprising two substantially semi-cir- -cular contact members on the support disposed about said outer gimbal axis and with their ends spaced from each other and in an insulated relation, a, contact arm carried by the outer gimbal iwith its free end disposed between the adjacent nends of the semi-circular contact members for cooperative contacting engagement with either one or the other of said semi-circular contact members incident to tilt of the outer gimbal from a predetermined reference position, a rotor rotatably carried by said inner gimbal with the V spin axis thereof disposed transverse to the direction of travel of the bomb, a rate gyroscope including a gimbal carried by said support having its tilt axis disposed transverse to the direction of travel of the bomb and transverse to the outer gimbal tilt axis, a power driven rotor carried by said rate gyroscope gimbal on a spin i fixed in insulated end to end spaced relation conc'entrically about the rate gimbal tilt axis, and a contact arm on the rate gimbal disposed between the ends of said spaced rate gyroscope semi-cir- `cularfplates when the rate gimbal is in a predetermined reference position, for contacting en- ..6 gagement with one or the other of said rate 'gliroscope plates incident to tilting movement of the rate gimbal in either direction from said predetermined reference position due to a rate of roll of the bomb in excess of a predetermined rate and relay means connected between each of the contact plates and the servomotor means for actuating said servomotor in one direction when said outer gimbal and rate gimbal contact arms are moved in one direction and to neutralize actuation of the servomotor means when said contact arms are moved relative to each other in the opposite direction.

2. A flight attitude control device, for a flight body having a longitudinal liight axis and a tendency to roll about saidV Hight axis from a predetermined reference position and including adjustable rotation control surfaces thereon for opposing said roll tendencies, and reversible servomotor means carried by the body for actuating said surfaces; said flight attitude control device comprising a support mounted on said flight body, having a longitudinal axis disposed parallel to the longitudinal flight axis of the body, an outer gimbal rotatable on said support on a tilt axis disposed parallel to the support axis, an inner gimbal carried by said outer gimbal having a tilt axis disposed perpendicular to the outer gimbal tilt axis, a power driven rotor carried by the inner gimbal having its spin axis disposed in perpendicular relation to the outer gimbal tilt axis and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support, spaced semi-circular contact members xed on the support, surrounding the outer gimbal tilt axis, a contact arm carried by said outer gimbal with a contact end disposed between the spaced ends of the semi-circular contact members when the outer gimbal is in a predetermined reference position on the support and relatively movable by the outer gimbal incident to roll of the support about its longitudial axis in either direction from said reference position to contact one or the other of said semi-circular contact members, a rate of roll determining gyroscope tiltable on said support, having a rate gimbal with its tilt axis disposed perpendicular to the outer gimbal tilt axis and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support and a power driven gyroscope rotor mounted in said rate gimbal with its spin axis disposed perpendicular to the rate gimbal axis and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support and perpendicular to the outer gimbal tilt axis when the rate gimbal is in a predetermined reference position on the support, said rate gimbal being tiltable in one direction or the other from its reference position incident to precession of the rate rotor spin axis in one direction or the other when the support is rolled about its longitudinal axis in one direction or the other from or toward its reference position in excess of a predetermined rate, spaced semi-circular contacts fixed on said support around said rate gimbal tilt axis, a contact arm carried by said rate gimbal having a contact end disposed between the spaced ends of said rate gyroscope contact plates for contacting engagement with one or the other of said rate gyroscope contact plates, incident to a predetermined degree or" tilt of said rate gimbal in one direction or the other from said predetermined reference position, incident to precession of the4 rate gyroscope spin axis in one direction or the other caused by rotation of the body about its longitudinal axis, and electrical controlling circuits 4connecting the semi-circular contact spaced electrical servomotor pick-on contact means and a movable contact therefor carried by the support and the free gyroscope gimbal means, said pair of spaced contact means being selectively energizable by the movable contact by rotative departure of the free gyroscope gimbal means in either direction from a predetermined reference relation to the support incident to rotation of the support from its night attitude. position in either direction about its night axis, a pair of servomotor energizing and reversing relays each connected to one of said spaced free gyroscope gimbal pick-01T contact means, a rate gyroscope carried by the support with its spin axis transverse to the longitudinal night axis of the support, yieldable rate oi" rotation of the support determining means connected between the support and rate gimbal yieldably maintaining the rate gimbal in a predetermined reference position relative to the night axis of the support, a pair of spaced rate gim-bal electrical pick-off contact means and a movable rate contact operable between the rate gimbal and the support, said spaced rate gimbal contacts being selectively engageable with the movable rate contact by tilting displacement of the rate gimbal beyond a predetermined degree of tilt in either direction incident to a predetermined rate of rotation of the support about its night axis, and a second pair of servomotor reversing and energizing relays each connected to one of said spaced rate gyroscope electrical pick-off contacts, whereby :cotation of the support away from its predetermined night attitude reference position at a rate lower than the aforesaid predetermined rate of rotation energized one of said nrst pair of relays through the pick-off contacts between the support and the free gimbal means, and rotative displacement in the same direction at a rate exceeding said predetermined rate of rotation also energizes a relay in the second mentioned pair of relays through the pick-off contact means between the support and rate gimbal, and return rotation of the support from its displaced relation toward said flight attitude position at less than said predetermined rate of rotation interrupts the rate pick-on contact relation to said relay of the second pair of relays, and return rotation of the support about its flight axis toward said predetermined night attitude reference position in excess of said predetermined rotational rate energizes said rate gimbal pick-off contact means to energize the other relay of said second pair of relays.

6. A night attitude control device, for controlling the night attitude of a flight body having a predetermined night axis and a night attitude reference position and adjustable night attitude control means carried by the flight body for controlling the night attitude of the body about its predetermined night axis and reversible servomotor means carried by the night body and connected to the adjustable night attitude control means for adjustment thereof to adjust the night attitude of the night body; said night attitude control device comprising a support nxedly carried by the night body having a predetermined night attitude axis disposed parallel to the predetermined night axis of the body, an outer girnbal rotatably carried by the support on an axis parallel to the predetermined night attitude axis of the support, an inner gimbal tiltably carried 10 by the outer gimbal on an axis perpendicular to the outer gimbal tilt axis, a power driven gyroscope rotor journalled on the inner gimbal perpendicular to the inner gimbal tilt axis, electrical servomotor pick-on control means connected to the reversible servomotor means and including a pair of spaced electrical contacts and an intermediate relatively movable contact between the support and outer gimbal, said intermediate contact and one of said spaced contacts being engageable for actuation of the reversible servomotor means in one direction incident to rotative displacement between the outer gimbal and support in one direction from a predetermined reference relation therebetween, and engageable with the other of said spaced contacts by rotative displacement between the outer gimbal and Y the support from the said reference relation in the opposite direction to energize and actuate said reversible servomotor means in the opposite direction, a rate gyroscope carried on the support comprising a rate giinbal tiltably journalled on the support on a tilt axis perpendicular to the outer gimbal tilt axis, a :power driven rate gyroscope carried by the rate gimbal with its spin axis perpendicular to the rate gimbal axis, yieldable rate of roll determining means connected between the support and the rate gimbal for yieldably maintaining said rate rotor spin axis in a predetermined night axis reference position perpendicular to the outer gimbal tilt axis, servomotor electrical pick-off control means connectible with the reversible servomotor means including a pair of spaced electrical contacts and an intermediate relatively movable contact between the rate gimbal and support, said last mentioned intermediate contact and one or the other of the last mentioned spaced contacts being engageable for selective energizing connection with the reversible servomotor means aforesaid incident to tilting displacement of the rate gyroscope spin axis beyond a predetermined degree of tilt in either direction from said rate gimbal reference position to energize the servomotor means for operation in the same direction as the energization thereof by the outer gimbal servomotor pick-on` control means when the outer gimbal is displaced away from its night attitude reference position by rotation of the body about its night axis, and to reversibly energize said servomotor means by engagement between the last mentioned intermediate contact and the other of the rate gimbal spaced contacts in opposition to the energization of the servomotor means by said outer gim-bal pick-orf control means when the outer gimbal is relatively returned toward its reference position by return rotation of the support toward its night attitude reference position at a rate in excess of the predetermined are as determined by the rate gyroscope.

BERTRAM E. WARREN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,384,868 Sperry July 19, 1921 2,210,917 Kenyon et al Aug. 13, 1940 2,286,561 Meredith June 16, 1942 

